A women-only fitness studio in Berlin is facing legal action after terminating the membership of a U.S. transgender claimant who did not disclose being biologically male when signing up.
The claimant, using the name “Marlene Bellissiomo” and also known as “Avelo,” alleges that the studio violated Germany’s General Equal Treatment Act by excluding the claimant. Bellissiomo, reportedly a former contestant on The Voice of Germany, is also active as a comedian and influencer.
According to Bellissiomo’s account, the Berlin-based claimant joined the gym in 2024 without informing staff about male genitalia. The omission was described as deliberate, following reports that other transgender applicants had been refused membership.
After around two weeks using the facilities, Bellissiomo contacted the studio by phone using a disguised voice to ask whether transgender women could join. Staff reportedly said membership would only be possible after gender reassignment surgery—something Bellissiomo has not undergone.
When the issue was raised in person, and questions about surgery were left unanswered, the studio cancelled the membership retrospectively without providing a reason.
Bellissiomo has since filed a lawsuit and appealed for donations to support the case, arguing that the policy amounts to unlawful discrimination. The claimant is now registered at another gym and uses the women’s changing facilities, while stating a wish to live “as a woman in everyday life” without segregation.
